The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-10-27
A FEMALE ROAD-AGENT.
The Mystery Of Eagle Bar, and
How It Was Solved.

The Mystery Of Eagle Bar, and
How It Was Solved
In the early days of Eagle Bar that
camp was much troubled by n we'll
organized band of road-agents. There
were seven of the highwaymen, and
they had a way of dropping down on
travellers and stages when they were
least expected. 1t was said that their
leader was 4 woman, and. indeed.
many times willie on their raids, a fe-
male figure had been seen with them.
She was always dressed in deep black.
rode black horse. and wore battling
vel over her face.
As time wore on the robber. es be-
came more bod and frequent, till ut
last the citizens of Eagle Bar became
eNasperated. aud decided to lido some
thing at once. An indignation meet
ing was called. and the miners assem-
bled TO see what could be done.
Davis ClaS.on, rather understood
man Of not more than thirty. but
person who was very popular in the
camp made speech that was listened
10 attentively by the rough gathering.
In ciear-cut, comprehensive language
he defined the position of the camp.
and concluded by advising them to or
ganize a systematic warfare against
the strange female robber and her gang
OF followers.
Ills speech was applaudcl. Others
s, ac briefly. The result of the meet
In WAS that a vigilance committee was
ot. ,anized and Davis Claxton was
CT, sen rs its chief. 1t was decided to
offer Il reward of five hundred dollars
for the capture of the female robber
alive. Claxton induced them to do
this, for, he said, if they offered the re-
ward for the capture Of the woman
road-agent dead or alive. and she was
killed, the camp would lose the salts
faction Of dealing out justice to her
Such IN argument from such a man
found favor with the men Of Eagle Bar.
Under the instructions of the newly
organized vigilance committee. parties
were at once sent out TO search for the
outlaws stronghold. 1t was thought
that the robbers must have retreat
some where near Eagle Bar
For some days the excitement was
kept at a high pitch, but as nothing
was heard Of the road-agents during
this time, the miners ardor soon began
to cool.
One day the regular stage brought q
stranger to Eagle Bar. The newcomer
WAS a small. wiry, smooth-faced man,
who registered at the Western Star
hotel as Duke Randall. New York. =
Mr.. Randall appeared TO be a very
quiet man, but although he seldom
spoke, he was always wide awake te
what was transpiring around him, for
his sharp. piercing eyes were seldom
at rest.
The stranger had not been in camp
long before he espied the notice of re.
ward offered for the capture of the fe.
male road-agent. He read it carefully,
and by keeping his eyes open, soon
learned many Of the particulars con
corning the robbcries.
About the time that the New Yorker
appeared in Eagle Bar, Davis Claxton
suddenly and mysteriously disap.
peared. For a day or two the disap.
pearance of the chief of the vigilance
committee caused no comment OIL
alarm. but as time passed and nothing
was seen or heard of Claxton, the citi
zens began to be alarmed. They in.
stituted search and inquiry, but the
missing man could not be found, nor
could any thing be learned of his
whereabouts. As may be surmised,
this mysterious disappearance caused
great excitement in the camp. A meet.
ing of the vigilance committee was
called at once.
As they sat III solemn conclave, this
august body decided that it was eyi.
dent that their chief had been waylaid
and either captured or killed by his
enemies, the road-agents. They also
decided that some movement, much
stronger and more determined thar
had hitherto been made, must be inau
gurated against the outlaws at once
And then the meeting was adjourned
until further notice.
That day another stranger appeared
in the camp. The latest newcomer wa.
small, dirty, fiercc-looking chap. HI
wore full bushy black beard that al
most entirely concealed the expression
of his face. Around his waist was .
belt which fairly bristled with weapons
He was a very loud-mouthed individual
and announced himself to be '.Ton
Bowie, Their 'riginal bad man frun
Bitter Krick."
During the day. he drank a larg,
amount of liquor and by night he wa.
apparently fighting drunk.
That evening Duke Randall, the New
Yorker, sauntered into "The Yellow
Bird" the principal saloon of thu
camp. Tom Bowie was in the saloon
and as soon as he spied the man from
New York he reeled toward him, cry
ing:
why, hello! Ding mer eyes eff hyel
amt mer old pard, Johnny Fresh.
from Frisco! Why, how are We. paid?
Come up and hev drink wi ther old
man"
With these words Tom Bowie seized